On their sophomore effort Irreversible, Chicago’s Brigitte Calls Me Baby delivers on the promise of their impressive debut, which earned critical praise, a global fanbase, and opening slots for everyone from Muse and Fontaines D.C. to Morrissey. Across nearly a dozen tracks, Irreversible builds on that foundation of classic New Wave and modern indie pop to create a sound that feels both timeless and distinctly their own.
The song “Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction” is the perfect example of this. Coming midway through the record, you can hear the taut, guitar-driven influences of a band like The Strokes, along with Wes Leavins’ emotion-laden vocals, which bear more than a passing resemblance to Morrissey, while subtle keyboards help move the song along. But the influences remain subtle enough to serve as inspiration as the band adds their own sound to the music.
“Slumber Party,” an early single, starts with urgent guitars and drums before Leavins comes in with his dramatic crooning, impossible to ignore. His ability to stretch out syllables in the chorus and raise and lower the pitch of his vocals dramatically within the span of a three-minute song is compelling enough, regardless of what he’s singing. But once you focus on the lyrics, you realize just how personal these songs are. “Slumber Party,” for example, digs into the psyche of someone who just wants to isolate from the world.
One of the album’s quieter moments, the brooding “The Pit,” shows that Leavins can channel melodrama and sincerity with the same conviction as Morrissey or Robert Smith. Elsewhere, “These Acts of Which We’re Designed,” with its New Order–style synths, and the groove-driven “I Can Take the Sun Out of the Sky,” rank among the album’s highlights—two very different songs that linger long after they end.
The record closes with the dramatic ballad “Send Those Memories,” a fitting finale to a stunning album. With Irreversible, Brigitte Calls Me Baby proves they aren’t simply living up to the promise of their debut; they’re already surpassing it.
One Response
I’m so happy to see a band like this come along. They are proving that great music can still be created! And to lean on 80’s moody new romantism is simply wonderful. The music industry can continue to go the pathetic route of removing rock from their world. They won’t remove it from those of us who cares. BCMB is an incredible band!!!